The Phonographic Memory of Marc Shaiman
Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin
iHeartPodcasts
4.3 • 8.4K Ratings
🗓️ 20 January 2026
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Marc Shaiman is a renowned composer, lyricist, arranger, and music producer known for his prolific work across film, television, and theater. In this episode, Alec and Marc discuss his career, as well as his new memoir, Never Mind The Happy. Shaiman's work in film includes “When Harry Met Sally”, “Sister Act”, “City Slickers”, “A Few Good Men”, “Sleepless in Seattle”, “The American President”, and the first “South Park” movie. Shaiman has written and arranged music for countless artists such as Harry Connick Jr., Mariah Carey, Billy Crystal, and Bette Midler. Shaiman earned widespread acclaim for co-writing the hit Broadway musical “Hairspray” alongside his co-lyricist Scott Wittman. Shaiman and Wittman went on to co-create musicals “Catch Me If You Can”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Some Like It Hot”, and “Smash”. Marc Shaiman has been nominated for seven Academy Awards, two BAFTA awards, and has won a Tony, two Emmys, and two Grammys.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an IHeart podcast. |
| 0:02.5 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:10.6 | This is Alec Baldwin, and you're listening to Here's the Thing from IHeart Radio. |
| 0:15.9 | You can't stop an avalanche as it races down the hill. |
| 0:26.4 | You can try to stop the seasons, girl, but you know you never will. |
| 0:32.8 | It is a skill that feels like a gift from the divine to write an unforgettable song. |
| 0:38.4 | One that gets stuck in your head or makes you want to dance is a talent that should be exalted. |
| 0:43.1 | Now, imagine it's your life's work for 50 years. You can't stop the beat ever since this whole world began. |
| 0:46.8 | A woman found out if she shook and she can shake a romance. |
| 0:49.7 | And so I'm gonna shake and share me in the best that I can today. That's you can't Stop the Beat, That's You Can't Stop the Beat, |
| 0:58.4 | from the 2002 Broadway cast recording of Hairspray |
| 1:02.5 | written by my guest today, composer and lyricist Mark Shaman. |
| 1:10.3 | Shaman is a two-time Emmy, Grammy, and BAFTA winner as well as a Tony Award recipient. |
| 1:17.3 | He's also been nominated for seven Academy Awards. |
| 1:21.0 | His five-decade career began at just 16 years of age. |
| 1:26.1 | His work as a composer, |
| 1:28.3 | lyricist, arranger, and producer spans film, |
| 1:32.1 | television, and theater. |
| 1:34.0 | In addition to the hit musical Hairspray, |
| 1:37.2 | Shaman is known for co-creating the musicals, |
| 1:39.7 | Catch Me If You Can, |
| 1:41.1 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, |
... |
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